Solar Integration

You are starting to see solar throughout Will County. This type of solar is active photovoltaics (originally designed for space in the 1950s) and it is in our:

calculators

at many PACE bus stations for lights

a few types of road signs

some street lights

as decorative lawn lights

on the roofs of homes

for energy production on roof the of some businesses

as educational and energy producers on roofs of schools

and possibly generating power to the grid on a select number of farm fields

Will County was recognized for encouraging this technology in 2017 by SolSmart. SolSmart is a national designation and technical assistance program that recognizes leading solar communities and empowers additional communities to expand their local solar markets.

In the historic district of Joliet, there is a home that features both photovoltaics and thermal water heating solar. It is shown in detail on the Will County Green Facebook page and was profiled in a past Will County electronic newsletter. The home installed solar panels for electricity on the south facing roof of the home and garage. The solar protruding up above the roof of the garage is for the hot water heating system. This homeowner has stated that the initial investment paid for itself in less than three years.

The IKEA store, in Bolingbrook, has the largest roof-top solar installation in Illinois and was also featured in the Will County Green electronic newsletter, as well as many local newspapers. The solar panels installed at IKEA are photovolatics, designed to convert sunlight to direct current electricity. Inside, a converter transforms the DC power to Alternating Current to power the store.

Valley View School District has taken the boldest step forward, installing roof top solar on five schools in 2017. The $5.27 million project is funded through a lease arrangement that will more than pay for itself in utility cost savings right from the beginning. Officials estimate over $9.2 million in cost savings over the next 25 years. The solar panels carry a 25-year guarantee. When completed, the power generated through the solar panel arrays will provide more than half of the electricity usage in the five schools, including an estimated 72% at Ward and 70% at Humphrey.

Historical Perspective

Passive solar energy was used since the time of the Egyptian civilization. In the 1970s there was interest in making solar a more common part of our home, school and business energy supply. For a long time, the most common large solar application in homes was a solar water heating system. This differs from the calculator on our desk because it generally reduces the energy needed to heat water but doesn't eliminate it.

The 21st century has seen tremendous growth in solar across the globe. Solar installations are appearing on home and business roof tops and in farm fields to reduce and replace fossil fuel energy generation and save consumers money. They work well in the Will County area and a number of reliable companies are available to assist you in identifying a business or home application that fits your needs.